This invention relates to electrically powered lamps for vehicles, and more particularly to a housing for mounting on a motor vehicle that contains a plurality of light emitting diodes that perform a variety of functions.
Conventional vehicle lamps use incandescent bulbs that generate heat that must be dissipated. They are large, expensive, and require frequent replacement. Light emitting diodes (LEDs) offer many features that can enhance the performance and function of vehicle lights such as fog lights and running lights.
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a variety of vehicle lamp assemblies that offer enhanced operation as well as advanced functions.
A common housing contains a fog light (amber or yellow LEDs) surrounding an area of another color and a rectangular area with red LEDs that spell out ALARM and another set may be provided that spells out HELP. Each is separately powered and may be strobed. In order to have a section that may spell out a custom name by plug-in elements, each element has a common voltage requirement and a common supply of that voltage. A remote RF control can be provided so that each array of LEDs may be selectively activated. An array may be strobed if desired.
One or more high output LEDs may also be provided within the housing that are powered when the running lights are on and the vehicle voltage is below a preset value. They are arranged to be fully powered by the lower voltage to provide a safety feature.
These and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will become more apparent when the detailed description is studied in conjunction with the drawings in which like elements are designated by like reference characters in the various drawing figures.